Always There
by LongshotLink
Summary: Sheloyd fanfic. The growing relationship of Lloyd and Sheena, plus what awaits Lloyd after his journey. Chapter Six Up! Please, Read and REVIEW. Thank you.
1. Talk at Mizuho

"Lloyd, you should go talk to her. She'll listen to you."

"I don't know if I'm the right person to do it. I hardly know her."

"Despite that, you're a great motivator. If anyone can, you can get her to face Volt again."

"Are you sure Professor? I'm not…"

"Go on, go to her. Plus, I think she likes you Lloyd."

"W-what?"

"No, I mean it. Even when she was trying to kill Colette, you were really nice to her. Go on, Lloyd." He sighed in resignation, and left the Professor to find Sheena.

When he found her, he was surprised at how small Mizuho was. He had barely gone anywhere before seeing her. Sheena could have heard everything they were talking about. Even…that part.

Lloyd suddenly felt nervous. How did he actually feel about the summoner? He peered around the building, and watched for a moment as Sheena talked with Corrine. While she could have easily heard Lloyd and Raine, Sheena was talking too quietly for him to hear her.

Lloyd took a deep breath, it was now or never. He stepped out from behind the building only to run smack into Sheena. He feel back to keep from falling on her. She didn't even flinch.

"Hey, Lloyd," she said as she helped him up. The small summon spirit was gone.

"Um, hi…Sheena."  
"Corrine told me you were here. You heard didn't you? About how I failed to control Volt and I killed several people?"

"Sheena, that was an accident. You've grown up since then."

"But you could be killed," and under her breath she added, "and I couldn't stand it if you died, Lloyd."

"What was that last part Sheena?"

"N-nothing."

"Oh, well don't worry. We won't die."

"Really? How do you know?"

"Because you're going to succeed. You'll make the pact with Volt."

"What if I can't Lloyd? What if I fail like last time?"

"Then I'll cut him down myself, and that will be that." Sheena was forced to close her eyes as tears welled up. She had never been so happy before in her life. She couldn't let him see her cry though, even if they were tears of happiness.

"Thank you, Lloyd." Lloyd smiled to her, and thought to himself, "Don't worry, Sheena, I'll always be there to protect you."


	2. Feelings

Thanks to all those that reviewed, but who said I was done? Just a newbie forgetting to mention that there would be more than one chapter, sorry.

Chapter 2

Months passed, and the adventurers grew stronger, but also they grew weary of the constant battling. Lloyd, Sheena, Zelos, and Raine had beaten so many monsters into the ground they now saw them avoiding the group. They had just exited the Temple of Earth. Wanting a good challenge they had been facing the numerous Dragons that resided there. Sheena and Lloyd talked as they traveled. He walked as she rode on Noishe.

"Wow, Noishe really seems to like you. I know you've been around for a while, but it can take years for him to be comfortable with a new person." Lloyd commented. Sheena smiled lightly from atop the large pet.

"Maybe it is because you showed so much trust in me Lloyd."

"Of course I'm going to trust you. You're my friend."

"But I wasn't when we first met. We were enemies. I tried to kill Colette. "

"That's true, but you helped us and all those people at the ranch and from Luin." Sheena blushed, remembering Luin's appreciation. Lloyd, Raine, and herself had all had statues erected in their honor.

"I didn't do that much. You did a lot more than I did, Lloyd." He shook his head and they continued on in silence. When they stopped to rest, the sun had already started to disappear below the horizon. Suddenly struck by inspiration, Sheena grabbed Genis's cooking supplies.

"I'll cook tonight. I'll make a good Mizuho recipe. It's called Miso stew."

"That's sounds good Sheena. I can't wait to try it." Lloyd said. Sheena smiled back. She hoped he would like it; she was making it for him. She got to work quickly as the others set up camp for the night. Presea, Colette, and the Professor set up their sleeping rolls next to each other while Regal, Genis, and Zelos grouped on the other side of the fire. Lloyd helped Sheena as much as he could, but he couldn't do much, considering his cooking skills didn't reach far beyond sandwiches.

Sheena giggled as Lloyd got a little too close to the fire and yelped in surprise. Stirring the contents of the pot she watched him. Despite being younger than her he was really mature…sometimes. Plus, he was kind of cute.

"Wait, what am I thinking? I can't feel that way about Lloyd. We're friends, that's all…Or is it?" Sheena went silent, thinking about her feelings for the swordsman.

Meanwhile, Lloyd was having trouble concentrating as well. He couldn't keep his eyes off Sheena. She was really pretty, and when he had seen her in that outfit at the dinner party, he had been so nervous that he had almost instantly asked to go back down. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but wasn't sure if it would be appropriate. Zelos seemed to like her a lot and Lloyd didn't want to interfere if there was something.

Still, she was always on his mind. In battles he always teamed up with her so he could protect her. They could almost predict each other's moves. He kept burning himself next to the fire because Sheena kept breaking his concentration.

Random thoughts suddenly entered Lloyd's mind. Fire reminded him of Efreet and Efreet was a summon spirit. Another summon spirit was Volt.

FLASHBACK

Lloyd picked himself up and shook his head clear. The blast of lightning had come a little too close for his comfort. Looking up, he saw Volt charging up a ball of energy before him. Seeing the target of Volt's electricity, Lloyd gasped. Sheena was vulnerable and there was no way he could reach her in time.

The lightning struck out and Lloyd watched as the small summon spirit, Corrine, jumped in front of Sheena and blocked the blast. Before Volt could fully recover, Lloyd was on his feet and running toward the sobbing woman. Unsheathing his swords as he ran, he knew that he would do the same thing Corrine had done for Sheena if it came to it.

Volt had circled around and was attempting to attack Sheena again. Lloyd leaped in front of the assault, deflecting it with his swords.

"Sheena, subdue Volt by force. Don't let Corrine's effort go to waste." He said to the summoner. Not hearing him, she continued to cry over the spot where Corrine had disappeared. Volt moved again and launched another attack but was countered again by Lloyd.

"Please Sheena. Don't let this be like last time. You can do it. I believe in you!"  
END FLASHBACK

They had made the pact with Volt, and with many other summon spirits since then. Lloyd still felt, no, _knew_, that he would sacrifice himself for her. He would do anything for her.


	3. Zelos's Advice

The voice of Tethe'alla's Chosen broke Lloyd free from his reverie.

"Hey Lloyd. C'mere a sec." Lloyd paused a moment before walking over to where Zelos was relaxing.

"What's up, Zelos?" Lloyd asked, curiosity apparent in his voice. The red-headed Chosen didn't talk to him much, but Lloyd liked him.

"I noticed you were looking at Sheena." Lloyd turned crimson. He shook his head feverently, trying to come up with an excuse.

"It's OK, Lloyd. In all honesty I knew you liked her ever since Volt."

"Has it been that obvious?" Lloyd asked; still a bit embarrassed.

"Well, to me it was. But I kinda pick up on these kind of things more than others. I don't know if anyone else picked up on it or not."

"You're not mad? I thought you liked Sheena."

"I think she's beautiful, yes. Do I think I actually have a chance with her? No way. She's enamored with you, bud."

"Enamored?" Lloyd's confusion shone through. Zelos sighed a little before chuckling.

"Sheena is pretty much head over heels for you, Lloyd. Take advantage of it and tell her how you feel. Even if she doesn't return the feelings, at least it will be off your chest." Zelos grabbed Lloyd's shoulders and spun him around and gave him a push back towards Sheena.

"And they call _me_ an idiot," he said, chuckling lightly to himself.

Back at the fire, Sheena watched Zelos and Lloyd talk.

"I wonder what they're talking about," she thought to herself. "If that stupid Chosen messes up the chance I have with Lloyd. I'll kill him." Lloyd was coming back at this point, so Sheena busied herself to look like she hadn't been watching. The temptation was too much though. She couldn't help but ask.

"What'd Zelos want?"

"Huh? Oh, um, he was just pointing out, um, the, uh, sunset." Lloyd blushed furiously. He had been thinking about how to tell her about his feelings, but being this close to her made him nervous.

"It took that long to tell you about the sunset?" she asked, detecting the lie in his voice. Lloyd avoided her eyes..

"Well, um, there were some other things too. Just random stuff. That's all." Determined to get the truth out, Sheena tried to call his bluff.

"I don't believe you for a second. Tell me what he…"

"Hey, Genis! What's up? How's it going? Oh, you're doing homework? Um, can I join?" Knowing he wouldn't be able to lie to her anymore, and trying to avoid an awkward conversation, Lloyd found a way out of the conversation. In the middle of his mathematics though, he decided he had to tell her that night.


	4. Fireside Chat

A/N: Just so everyone knows, the only reason Sheena didn't chase after Lloyd is because she was still cooking the dinner. Plus, she was…well you'll find out here.

After the meal, Lloyd found that he had no light to unroll his pad. He would have no way of knowing where the rocks were until he lay on them, making it impossible to get comfortable. Finally, he decided he would just sleep by the fire. There was enough light there to pick out the rocks and branches.

Picking up his stuff, he headed to the light, only to find the spot had already been taken. He gulped. It was Sheena.

As quietly as he could, he tried to tiptoe away, hoping to not wake her. Sheena had been awake already and had been waiting for him.

"Get back here, Lloyd Irving." She commanded.

"Oh, hey Sheena. Didn't see you there."

"Shut up and sit down. We need to talk." He sat nervously, knowing she would ask about the conversation with Zelos. He waited for her to speak, but she just looked at him. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

"What do we have to talk about, Sheena?" He had barely finished when Sheena had answered.

"You know perfectly well what. You've never avoided me like you did today. What the hell was that all about?" Lloyd looked at his feet and mumbled something inaudible.

"What did you say?"

"I said, 'Zelos said some things I didn't want to repeat.' That's all." Lloyd cringed at the half-truth.

"Well, I want to know what it was. Was it about me? Tell me!"

"Yes, it was about you."

"What about me?" she practically yelled. Lloyd hesitated and looked around to make sure no one had heard her before answering. He knew he should just get it over with.

"He – he told me to tell you about how I feel about you." He said in a rush. Sheena was suddenly at a loss for words.

"He said that?" Lloyd nodded. "Wh-what _do_ you feel about me?" She thought she had her answer when his face turned bright red. Even in the dim firelight it was visible.

"Well, um, I like you…a lot. I-I think I'm in love with you." He shut his eyes and waited for the outburst, but it never came. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Sheena was crying.

"Sheena, what's wrong? Oh, no. I did this, I'm so sorry. I'll leave you alone."

"No, Lloyd! Please, stay. I don't hate you, but why didn't you tell me sooner." Lloyd's cheeks flushed again, remembering the Chosen's words.

"I, um, always thought that you and Zelos were together."

"Me and Zelos? Why in the worlds would you think that?"

"Well, when we were at the Otherworldly Gate, he was the one who got to you to keep you from sacrificing yourself. And, I don't know, I just kinda figured…" He trailed off and Sheena smiled at his innocence.

"Lloyd, I've always liked you. And I guess just like you, I thought you were with someone else."

"Who?"

"Colette." Now it was Lloyd's turn to smile.

"We're good friends and all, but I've never thought of her as anything beyond that. Ever since you and I met, I've fallen deeper and deeper for you." Sheena turned from the fire to cover her quickly reddening face.

"I feel the same way. I almost stopped my assassination attempt when I saw you, but I had a job to do. I couldn't let Tethe'alla down." Face under control, she turned back to look at the young swordsman. Tears started to well up again, making Lloyd nervous.

"Sheena, what's wrong? Did I do something to…" She silenced him with a firm but gentle finger placed on his lips.

"These tears aren't bad. Lloyd, I've also fallen in love with you." Her wide smile was more than enough to make Lloyd break out in a grin. Sheena placed a hand on one of his cheeks, amazed at how soft his skin was. She thought it would hard from all the battles he had been in. Lloyd took her hand and held it in both of his. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments before Lloyd pulled the summoner into a tight embrace.

Sheena had never felt like she did now. She had never felt as secure and safe as she did in his arms. She moved closer to him and looked at the stars.

"Hey, Sheena?"

"What is it, Lloyd?" She looked up at his face, only to find that he looked anxious all of a sudden. She sat up quickly, her worry showing on her face.

"Um, Sheena? After the two worlds are finally at peace, there is something I want to do." She went silent, forcing Sheena to say something.

"What do you want to do?" Smiling nervously, he responded, "Do you remember when you told me how I could join your village?" Reassured and relieved, Sheena chuckled lightly.

"Yes, I do Lloyd." She lifted her head and looked into her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her. It didn't last long, but it was full of the love they held for each other. Sheena sighed contentedly and was soon fast asleep in Lloyd's arms. He watched the beautiful woman in his arms as she slept, and knew that his life was now complete. He soon fell asleep holding the summoner he loved.

In the darkness, six pairs of eyes watched the two, and as the pair by the fire fell asleep, they were all thinking the same thing. "It's about time."

A/N: Unless someone gives me some ideas as to where to go next, I think I am done. I'm willing to try something else, I just don't know what. Thanks to all those that read this, even if you didn't review. This was my first romance story ever, as well as my first fanfic. I hope you enjoyed it. Maybe I'll try another romance in the future.


	5. The Return

"Give you my exsphere? I don't think so."

"Please sir. Even after hearing how they're made, you still won't give it up?" Lloyd was getting frustrated with this man. Besides himself and his friends, this man held the last exsphere that Lloyd needed to collect. The professor had helped him with the computers in the ranch near Iselia. Lloyd had used the records there to track down all of the loose exspheres. It had taken him eight years, but now he had found the last one.

"What do I care about the people in the ranches? Why should I give mine up? You're still using yours." Lloyd shook his head in frustration. Now at the age of 25, Lloyd was strong and techniqued enough to defeat almost any opponent even without his exsphere. The man didn't even have a key crest; he was going to turn into a monster if the man didn't let Lloyd help him.

"At least let me give you a key…"

"No! Just leave me alone and go away." Lloyd was almost ready to take it by force when he got an idea.

"How about a duel for the exsphere? One-on-one. I won't use mine." To emphasize his point, Lloyd plucked his out and showed it to the man before pocketing it. "How's that?"

"Ha, you think you can beat me? All right. One-on-one for my exsphere. My prize will be the satisfaction of beating you. Let's go."

END FLASHBACK

(A/N: Whoa! Didn't know you were in a flashback, huh?)

Lloyd smiled grimly, holding the last exsphere. The man had only been a challenge because of the exsphere, and even then, his skills didn't even come close to those of his father, Kratos, and his friend Zelos.

He put the exsphere into his bag, alone with the other numerous others he had collected. His journey had taken too long. Sheena had started with him, but had been forced to return to Mizuho for training and preparation only a year into the journey. Lloyd had continued and was now finally able to return and see his friends once more.

He came into the clearing that had held his home for so many years. When he reached the door, he found a note tacked to it. It was short and looked like Presea's handwriting.

Lloyd-

Come to the Lezerano Company when you get home. We have much to talk about. Everyone will be there.

There was no signature, but Lloyd was confident that it came from the axe-wielding girl from Ozette. Wanting to see his friends soon, he immediately pulled the Rheaird out of the spot he had hidden it before leaving on his exsphere-hunting journey. He hopped on and flew off for Altamira with the exspheres going along as well.

Upon reaching the glamorous city, Lloyd instantly knew something was wrong. It was a special talent of his. He could always tell when something had happened, or something was about to happen. Altamira felt like that. People were still out having fun in the luxurious city, but there seemed to be a certain dread hanging over the city. He quickly hid his Rheaird in an alley and covered it, even though he doubted anyone would know how to operate it.

He strode back out, acting casual. In reality, his nerves were shot. The people knew something, but they didn't say anything. They just looked ahead, trying to enjoy themselves.

When Lloyd reached the Elemental Railroad, he found the car had been abandoned out in the water. He knew he could easily jump the distance, but he knew if he activated that train, it would take him to trouble. A vision flashed before his eyes, but Lloyd barely saw it. The image flashed again, and this time, Lloyd knew what it was. It was Sheena, tears streaming down her face, and she seemed to be in pain.

Reservations gone, Lloyd leapt into the car and started it up. A thick fog surrounded him suddenly, and Lloyd wished it would move faster.

The first thing Lloyd noticed through the thick fog was that the railway couldn't make it to the Lezerano Company's building. Sharp, jagged rocks jutted out of the water, almost as if they had been thrown there and then forgotten about. He could not see beyond the boulders, and the fog began to make him feel uneasy. Something sinister lay beyond that wall of white.

Ominously, the railway car slowed and stopped of its own accord. Doubt coming back into his mind once more, Lloyd hesitated at the rocky shore. In the distance, he could see several faint, blinking lights. They were those that belonged to the Lezerano building. The image of Sheena appeared again, and Lloyd shook off the feelings of doubt. This time, he swore he could hear her calling out for him, calling his name, and it gave him strength.

The young swordsman jumped out of the dead vehicle and began to pick his way through the sharp boulders. The winking lights got brighter and larger, and Lloyd knew he was getting close. Jumping from a high rock, Lloyd round himself standing on fine sand. Calm sand seemed too simple for the menace he could almost taste in the air.

Suddenly, Lloyd found himself flying through the air, sand and dust clouding his vision. He landed roughly, falling over as his swords were unsheathed. As he scrambled to his feet, he realized he could be in for a tough fight. Before him was a gigantic worm, similar to the one found in the Triet Desert. It had taken four of his team to defeat the creature, and all that had been found afterward had been a Devil's Arm.

Lloyd pulled himself into a fighting stance and charged the behemoth. The worm lowered its mouth, hoping Lloyd would simply rush straight into its gullet. Knowing the tactic from an earlier battle, Lloyd leapt up and landed behind where the worm's eyes should be. He went into a Sword Rain, punching holes in the worm's thick hide. The beast reared up, flinging Lloyd away from it. To counter the worm's movement, Lloyd easily landed and rebounded into the air for a Rising Falcon. The attack tore a great, big hole in the worm, making it bellow in pain.

Before Lloyd could pull off any more attacks, the worm quickly burrowed itself, used the very ground Lloyd stood on for cover. Lloyd just waited, he knew it would be back. It would try to come up directly beneath him, mouth open wide. He soon felt the vibrations sent out by the tunneling beast, and moved quickly into an Omega Tempest. The maneuver launched him into the air and back down in time to use a Demonic Circle on the segmented tail of the Desert Worm.

Brown blood poured from the multiple wounds it had, and Lloyd could see it visibly slow. Lloyd rushed in once more, swords misted with blood and dew, creating a strange gleam in the low light. He slashed at the creature, knowing its life was almost over. Lloyd wound up and delivered a powerful Beast attack to the monster, sending it back, dropping it to the ground. It didn't get up again.

In the corner of his eye, he saw something glint from a stray light in the fog. The bag holding the exspheres had fallen open. _Why did I even bring that with me? Guess I'll have to take it. I can't let someone get these._ He picked up the bag and walked back into the ever-thickening fog.

Lloyd marched on, wary of any other opponents that might pop up. There was nothing. He seemed to be all alone in the gloom, but he felt like he was being watched. The unseen eyes continued to watch as Lloyd got closer to the flashing lights, bulging bag swinging lightly over his shoulder.

The fog suddenly lifted, letting Lloyd see what lay before him. The Lezerano building looked deformed and hideous. Strange protrusions shot out at odd angles, resembling the Giant Kharlan tree when it had gone out of control. A large stone wall surrounded the tall structure, but it wasn't anything Lloyd couldn't get past. Quietly he crept to the wall, and upon reaching it, he found there were several hand holds. The climb would be easy for him.

He tied his bag of exspheres onto one shoulder and climbed up the barrier. In almost no time, he was crouching atop the wall, looking down into the courtyard below. Boulders and rocks lay strewn about, intermixed with what seemed to be complex machinery. There were also…bodies down there. Lloyd gasped as he realized what he was looking at.

Lloyd leaped down and the sick feeling was replaced almost immediately by a fouler smell, one of rotting flesh. He wrinkled his nose and tried to ignore it.

Lloyd slowly walked through the debris, looking for any living creature. Even a monster would be acceptable, because then he would know if it was possible to survive in the stinking courtyard. He paused and looked around. He had seen the bodies from the wall. Where were they? Walking among the boulders was a more difficult challenge than it had seemed from atop the wall.

A low grunting sound came from behind Lloyd. His swords were halfway out of their scabbards before he realized that the sound was human. Keeping his swords at the ready, Lloyd dashed around several boulders. At the end of the corridor of rocks lay a large block of concrete. On it lay the body of Regal.

Only, Regal wasn't completely Regal. He was missing his arms and legs. His eyes were closed, rimmed with dried tears. His once youthful blue hair now had long streaks of white-gray. Mouth turned down in pain, Lloyd knew this was Regal's greatest fear. Without limbs, he was useless. That would eat Regal from the inside out.

"Regal…" The name came out in a whisper. Lloyd slowly approached the figure, not wanting to believe it. At Lloyd's voice, Regal's eyes opened, slowly focusing on Lloyd. A small smile broke out on the warrior's face, but it disappeared during coughing fits as he spoke.

"Lloyd…I'm glad you…came."

"Regal, what happened?"

"I need to tell…to tell you…something."

"What is it?"

"You once said that I was like a…a father to you. Lloyd, you have taught me much and I am able to say that you…are like a son to me."

"Regal…" For the first time, Lloyd could see that the block of concrete upon which Regal lay was covered in blood. But Regal still looked happy.

"Lloyd, I can see it in your eyes. I'm dying and there's nothing you can do." Lloyd tried to say something, but Regal interrupted.

"It's OK, Lloyd. I already knew. I was holding on so…that I…could tell you…" His coughing became extremely intense, making his body shake.

"What is it, Regal?" Regal's eyes shut as he spoke.

"Presea…Presea has…" His coughs became quiet, rasping. Lloyd stood over his friend, wishing he could do something. In a few short moments, Regal Bryant was gone.

"Good bye, Regal. I promise to return and give you a proper burial." With that, Lloyd slowly walked back into the gloom searching for others. He wiped the tears that formed, thinking to himself, _There will be time to mourn later. Find who did this and make them pay. I have to stay strong for the others._

Lloyd walked slowly through the boulder field, fearing what he would find in the mist. A small groan drifted through the fog, closely followed by a smaller, quieter one. Lloyd found his Kusanagi blades in his hands, instantly at the ready. He decided not to put them away this time, they would just find their way back again.

He moved cautiously toward the groans, and came across another torture device, but this one was not as simple as the one Regal had been in. This device was to cause physical pain, not emotional pain like Regal's. There was someone…no! two someones inside of it. Sparks of electricity shot off the outside of the container, clearly signaling what it did. Lloyd quickly smashed it open, and out tumbled two men, both of whom Lloyd knew.

Genis Sage, now 20, had slightly longer hair, though still silver. He wasn't wearing the old blue uniform he had. Now, though most of it was torn off, Lloyd could see red fabric. _Now, why was he wearing red?_ The other man, Zelos Wilder, seemed to be showing his age finally, even though he was fairly young. A rough red beard poked out of his face and his red hair had a few lines of gray starting to show. Of course, even Lloyd had to admit that Zelos had somehow managed to make himself look good, even in his battered state. Both of them were unconscious and had burns all over their bodies. Nothing Raine couldn't fix, if Lloyd could find her. He approached the torture device, focused on destroying it once and for all. When he got close to it, a strong heat radiated from it. Lloyd realized that is had both shocked and burned his friends. Choosing one of his most powerful moves, Lloyd unleashed a Beast Sword Rain. The device fell apart into several pieces as the electricity shorted out, leaving dark metal to litter the ground.

Lloyd checked his unconscious friends to make sure they would be OK, even though they wouldn't be coming with him. He pulled a small stiletto out of his pack that Kratos had given him and put it in Zelos's hand. It wasn't much, but Zelos could protect them if anything showed up.

He rose, sighing. He didn't want to leave his friends, but he had to find the others, even if they were…_No! I won't accept that! They are alive and I will find them!_


	6. Love's Pull

Lloyd cautiously walked through the thick fog. He stopped and looked around. He couldn't see anything. It was like one of those damn dungeons he and his friends had been forced to explore on their journey. Rocks protruded everywhere, and you couldn't see around the next corner. At least there were no monsters like there had been in those dungeons.

A whirring sound turned his attention to his left. A large machine came hurtling at him, axes and other sharp blades swinging back and forth. He leapt back and pulled out his swords. He blocked as the machine tried to dice him again and again. Dancing back and forth, he quickly became familiar with the pattern and began to counter. Soon all but the largest and fastest moving axes were broken off of the machine.

Lloyd jumped out of its reach and quickly reached into his pocket. He pulled out the Sardonyx that Volt had given them, and slipped it on his finger as he landed. He dashed forward and leapt toward the killing machine, and executed a Lightning Tiger Blade. The electrical shock went through the machine and disabled it after a moment of sparking. Lloyd sighed as he put his blades away along with the elemental ring. He'd have to be more careful from now on. There could be traps anywhere in this fog. He started to step forward, but then reconsidered his earlier actions and pulled out one of his swords.

He searched for what seemed hours, finding nothing but fog and stone. He didn't encounter any more traps, but he kept his sword at the ready nevertheless. After walking for what could be hours, Lloyd decided to try something. When Volt had given them the Sardonyx, he said it could be used to find your soul mate. All Lloyd could focus on was finding Sheena, and maybe this stone would help him find her. Slipping it on his finger, Lloyd suddenly knew which direction she was in. But it also told him she was in extreme pain. He turned and dashed in the direction of her.

He quickly came up her, and she knew why she was in pain. She was stretched over a bed of spikes. The ropes holding her were loose enough so that she had to pull herself taut to stay off them, thus giving her no time to rest or anything. Reacting quickly, Lloyd rushed forward to get her out of the torture device. He was forced to stop short when a blade flashed down in front of him. Once again, he was forced to retreat as the biggest machine he had ever seen appeared out of the fog and advanced toward him. It had four arms, each holding a different weapon. One held a jagged sword, another held a scimitar-like sword, another a long sword, and yet another held a wicked sickle. Lloyd recoiled, feeling like he had seen this before. Two curved horns protruded from the head of the machine, striking a key in his memory but a mental fog as thick as the mist around him covered the answer.

The problem left his mind as the thing charged him swinging all four weapons. He found it difficult to dodge and parry all four weapons, even with his own two. The machine attacked so quickly and had such odd combinations of moves. One moment it would slash all four downward, the next it would spin them around, pushing him further and further away from Sheena. A wave of rage overcame him and unleashed a stream of Sword Rains and Tiger Blade and combinations of them, succeeding in pushing the machine back. Thinking only of Sheena, he suddenly found the Material Blade in his hands. Not stopping for an instant, he fused the swords and launched into the air, dragging the machine with him. As the powerful Eternal Sword opened the metal thing up like tin foil, Lloyd finished the attack by bringing the blade back down, slicing the thing in two.

It made a half-hearted effort to attack Lloyd again, but it fell pitifully to the ground, never to rise again. Now that the mechanical nuisance was out of the way, Lloyd rushed to Sheena's side. He sliced through the chains that held her easily and was able to catch her before she dropped onto the spikes below her. Softly he turned and placed her on the ground.

"Sheena…" He brushed her hair out of her face, looking loving at her bruised face, hating himself for not getting there sooner.

"I should have been at your side. I should have been there. I should have…" A bright light behind him cut him off. He shielded his eyes and unsheathed a sword, fully prepared for another attack. What met his gaze was not a cold, killing machine, or some desert beast intent on devouring him. The fox looking creature before him made his mouth drop. This was the last being he had ever expected to see in a place like this.

"Verius…"

"Lloyd, your love for Sheena called me. The ache in your heart was too great to ignore. The return call from her heart magnified your bond ten fold. Even had I not wanted to come, the sheer attraction of your feelings compelled me to appear." Lloyd stood, mouth agape.

"Sheena will be OK. You must defeat the evil that has caused all of this. If you don't, the darkness it emanates will spread and fill other hearts, making everyone empty and cold." Lloyd closed his mouth and nodded. He rose and began to turn when he felt a hand holding on to his wrist. He looked down to find Sheena grasping his arm, eyes barely open.

"Lloyd…don't go…" He took her hand and clasped it in his. Then he kissed her gently and placed both her hands on her chest.

"I have to do this. I will be back for you." He rose once more but stopped when she called him back."

"Take…this." Sheena held out a small card adorned in symbols and was red and purple. The letters "L" and "S" were engraved into the middle. The "L" had a purple background, while the "S" had a red background. As Lloyd took it, Sheena's hand went limp and fell back to rest next to her other one. Lloyd inspected the card carefully.

"What is this?" Verius answered for the unconscious Summoner.

"It is a traditional Mizuho marriage card. It was to have been given to you on your wedding day, but Sheena must believe she would not survive to make it to that event, so she presented it to you now." A look of alarm came over Lloyd's face. Verius quickly reassured him. "I will watch over her. In the end, nothing can defeat the power of the heart and the love it can hold and produce. Remember that Lloyd." He nodded and began walking toward what he hoped was the Lezerano Company building. The Summon Spirit of the Heart watched one of his strongest sources of support disappear into the mist, about to face the toughest challenge of his life.

Lloyd found the building rather quickly, considering for a long time he had walked all the way around it, not noticing it once. He entered through the gate that would usually allow the Elemental Railroad in. Looking around, he found most of the lobby in disrepair and covered in dust. Among the broken pots and chairs, he found several footsteps leading to the elevator. He made his way to the front desk, and there he found a piece of paper that had been recently left there. It was folded in half and had his name written on it in a very neat script. Lloyd picked it up and opened it to read it. When he finished, he scanned it again to look for any hint of who might be behind all of this.

_Lloyd,_

I knew you'd come here. I knew you'd get past my traps. Use the elevator to ride to the roof. I'll be waiting. Don't disappoint me.

Not sure what to make of the note, Lloyd unsheathed his swords and entered the elevator. The ride up four stories was the longest wait Lloyd had ever experienced. Whatever awaited him on top would be truly horrific, and he was not sure he wanted to meet his adversary.

Finally, the lift stopped and the door slid open, revealing…

_A/N: Sorry about the cliff hanger, but it just seemed an appropriate place to put this break in the story. I hope you're enjoying this story. I made it so it would be read. So please, reviews would be nice._


	7. Rooftop Resentment

Lloyd stepped off the lift onto the rooftop. Eerie wooden statues lined the pathway from the lift. He slowly walked through them, finding he recognized them all. _Botta. Alicia, that's Presea's sister. Mithos is here too. And there's Abyssion._ Then something dawned on him.

"All of them are dead!" He accidentally shouted. He cringed, as his voice seemed to echo within the fog that was even denser on the garden rooftop. He walked into the open area in front of the garden. Standing before him were two large statues. Their bodies were carved out to the smallest detail, but their faces were blank. No face had been carved into them yet. But they didn't need to be. Lloyd recognized the two. _Colette! Professor Sage! _What did it mean that their faces were missing? Were they not dead yet like the others? Lloyd fiercely prayed that was the case.

He turned around slowly, looking for whoever might be behind it all. All he saw were more statues. And all of them were of dead people. Dead eyes stared down at him, judging him, accusing him. Lloyd felt uneasy under their gaze, and tried to shake it off, but the feeling stayed. Finally, Lloyd turned his own gaze into the garden. It was completely shrouded with fog, making it impossible to see what was in it. As he stared into it, a sense of great dread came over him. Something large was just above him, and he didn't want to find out what it was, but he had to look.

Standing on the arch leading to the garden was another statue, this one much bigger than the others. Lloyd recognized it almost immediately. And the face was carved into this one. _No! Presea!_ The statue of the girl he had met on their journey brought it all home. Someone had kidnapped his friends, and even killed one. Now they were likely to kill Colette and the Professor. He had to stop whoever it was. A stray thought floated through his mind, reminding him of the exspheres he had left in the lift. He shook his head, it wasn't important right now. Blindly, Lloyd ran into the secluded garden, not knowing what he would find.

Lloyd stumbled into a clear area, almost as if the fog were merely a wall, and not enveloping the entire area. Recovering quickly, Lloyd looked up and found a horrifying scene. Colette and Professor Raine were chained to a large wooden slab. An enormous axe hung above them, about to sever their heads from their bodies. The person who wielded the weapon had pink hair and was almost as tall as Genis was now.

"Presea!" Lloyd cried out as the young girl began to swing down with the axe. Thinking quickly, Lloyd leapt toward them and blocked the axe with a sword. He drove his arm upward, pushing the weapon away from the two women. With his sword still on the blade of the axe, Lloyd was too focused on keeping it up that he had failed to notice what the weapon was. Suddenly, he felt the sword break in half. Confused, he let his guard down for just a moment. It was enough for the young girl to elbow him in the gut and knock him away. He fell down hard on the cobblestone floor.

"Lloyd, I thought you'd come. You'd never let down your friends, would you?" Lloyd looked at his broken sword; hardly believing it had been broken. He looked at the weapon Presea held, and he knew why. It hadn't been broken, it had been bitten in half. The pink haired girl held Diablos, the cursed weapon of Nebilim. It had a cruel mouth that must have taken a chunk of his own weapon.

"Presea, what's going on?" The ax woman shook her head.

"You never were the quick one, were you?" Lloyd rose to his feet, holding the remaining blade of his Kusanagi pair. The other he had thrown out of the garden. His face clearly expressed his confusion.

"Fine, I'll tell you. My life was taken from me. My time. Everyone I loved was taken from me. I wanted it back."

"But, Presea…"

"Have you any idea the pain that I endure everyday? Knowing that I can't go back? I cannot go back, and if I can't have my life, neither can anyone else."

"Presea, we didn't do this to you. Why are you taking it out on us? We're your friends."

"Friends only get in the way of my final goal. I will eliminate you all to make sure I can exact my revenge." Lloyd gripped his sword tighter. "And had you not gotten in the way, Colette and Raine would have been next." Lloyd just glared at her. How could she do this?

"Would you like to know what was pathetic? It was so easy to capture everyone. Only Regal and Sheena gave me any trouble, and even they were easy. Colette simply gave up. She couldn't believe that I would do such a thing. Neither could Genis or Zelos. They simply couldn't believe that I would have the heart to trap and torture them."

"Shut up! Don't talk about them like that." Lloyd shouted.

"And Raine was never a fighter in the first place. She was easy to hold down. Regal easily would have given me the most trouble, so I tricked him and cut off his limbs before he could fight back."

"Gah!" Lloyd covered his ears, trying to block out Presea's taunts. But nothing could stop them.

"Sheena was the most pathetic. Do you know what she did? She begged me not to hurt you. I merely laughed as I chained her to that device. I'm sure you saw her."

"Be quiet! Lloyd yelled and charged at her, forgetting for a moment that he only had one of his swords. Presea easily blocked his attack and knocked him back. He fell to the ground several feet away, and Presea laughed cruelly.

"Are you really going to be that weak? I know you have more than that. I was actually looking for a fight." Lloyd picked himself up to his knees, supporting himself with one hand and shaking his head. "Actually Lloyd, I'm glad you're here. I knew you had recently acquired the last exsphere, and would bring them here if I asked you here. And I plan to use them." Lloyd turned his head and looked at her. She began to advance toward him, slowly taking small steps.

"You see, when Abyssion was defeated, and the evil spirit tried to take over my body, all of you believed you had ridden me of it. That is not what happened though. The power remained inside of me, sleeping, dormant. And now I am more powerful than ever." She was almost on top of him now, and she kept talking as she got closer. "I'm sure you saw the statues out there. They are of the dead, and with this new power inside of me, I can resurrect them to serve me. And that's where you come in Lloyd. You brought me the exspheres, which I will equip to my undead army. And with that army, I will control and take my revenge on the world."

Presea was now standing over him, and Lloyd watched as she raised her axe.

"And now, Lloyd, it is time for you to die. Thank you for bringing me the exspheres." The axe began to fall, and Lloyd brought up his remaining sword to protect himself, even though he knew it wouldn't be enough. As he watched it, the axe seemed to slow and stop inches from him. Lloyd looked up. Presea seemed to be frozen as well, held in place. He hastily pulled himself out from under the hideous blade. He got to his feet and was about to inspect the smaller woman, when a voice behind him made him jump.

"Lloyd," He turned to find Verius behind him. "Lloyd, you must defeat her. She cannot be allowed to live."

"But, I can't just kill one of my friends."

"So you'll give up, just like Colette did? Lloyd, she _must_ be stopped, and there's only one thing that can stop her."

"What is it? If I must do this, then I will. Please tell me." The vixen spirit walked closer to him and sat down.

"It is love. The love you and Sheena share. Presea's soul has been empty since her exsphere was put on her. Thus the darkness has taken her over. Only pure love like yours can drive out pure darkness like that in her heart." Lloyd nodded, and then began turning back to return to the fight. Then he remembered, he only had one sword.

"Um, I can't fight well with only one weapon. I'll lose for sure." Before the Summon Spirit of the Heart could answer, something began heating up his pocket. He fished the item out and found it was the card that Sheena had given him earlier. It had begun to glow in his hand. Lloyd realized the single Kusanagi blade in his other hand had started glowing as well. He watched as they changed shape and size. The sword shortened, and the width of the blade stretched out to almost two times its original size. Where the curve of the blade met the hilt, it continued and created a small hook on the bottom of the flat edge of the blade. The card in his right hand stretched to match the new sword he held.

"That weapon has not been seen for centuries," said Verius suddenly. "It is imbued with the powers of the heart, and the stronger the heart that wields them, the stronger they become." Lloyd stared at the two new weapons in his hands. He couldn't believe it.

"These are incredible, did you create these?" he asked Verius.

"I did not. They were made by your heart, and your will to save those you love. Use them to defeat Presea. Perhaps the pure power of love will save her soul before the end." Lloyd nodded at the Summon Spirit and turned to face his opponent. Time unfroze, and the axe slammed into the ground where Lloyd had once been. Taken aback by Lloyd sudden movement from his death position, Presea growled.

"I don't know how you got out of the way, but believe me, it will have done you no good." Then she noticed the swords in his hands. "So, you have new weapons. Even they will do you no good. Prepare yourself, Lloyd Irving." She charged him, swinging Diablos wildly. Lloyd dodged these wild swings deftly. Knowing it was merely a bluff to throw him off guard, Lloyd countered the blow that would have knocked him almost off the roof. Lloyd guarded as the axe fell toward him again, the move that had split his sword earlier. And again, the axe bit down on his weapon, but instantly released and flew back, as if it were on fire.

As it was, it certainly seemed like the weapon had been hurt. Steam trails floated off from its teeth. _The power of Love, _Lloyd thought, smiling to himself. Now he pressed the attack, driving Presea back toward the garden. He unleashed technique after technique, hoping to break through her defense. This proved hard to do, as Presea was such a small target. She was also fast, and almost caught Lloyd under his guard in many instances. Only lucky twists had saved him. At one point the teeth on her weapon had caught his shirt and ripped it. An inch closer and it would have been gnawing on his flesh.

Finally, he had her pinned against a wall, and he prepared himself to strike her down. But she ducked under his attack and butted him in the gut, knocking him back and again into the defensive position. The battle was become intense, and they both moved faster, trying harder than ever to land a hit. They danced all over the building's rooftop, exchanging blows and parries. Lloyd was having trouble concentrating. All the eyes of the dead seemed to focus on him, creating feelings of guilt in his stomach. They seemed to crowd in on him, making his moves confined and sluggish. Presea saw this and pressed her advantage.

Swinging in a circle, she hit him with the dull part of her axe, knocking him back against the statue of Alicia. He rubbed his head, and looked up just in time to duck under Presea's swing. The axe lodged itself into the statue, and Presea couldn't pull it free. Lloyd rolled out from under it and slashed downward toward the girl. She released her grip on the axe and crossed her arms in front of her to block the blow with her gauntlets. Seeing her move into it, Lloyd changed the direction of his swords so they thrust into the ground, flipping him over her. Before she could react, he pulled back and thrust forward into a Sonic Thrust.

The move pierced her armor, and he felt it puncture her skin. He cringed as his blade slowed as it slid into her soft body. Lloyd felt her body relax and go limp. He pulled the sword out and caught her as she fell back. With a slight gasp, she settled back into his arms. She stared up into the fog around them, mouth open a small bit.

"Lloyd…" Presea called to him softly, a barely audible whisper. "Lloyd, I'm…sorry." He shook his head, wanting to say something to ease her passing, but there was nothing. He held her until she stopped breathing and then gently lay her down on the ground. He rose to his feet and sheathed his swords. He looked down at the sad girl who had been their companion and friend for so long. He wished he hadn't had to do it, but there was no other way. He jumped back as something appeared in the air above Presea's body.

He calmed down when he saw that it was Presea. Just like everyone else he had defeated, she was trapped within her Cruxis Crystal. Lloyd was not surprised when she spoke to him.

"Lloyd, I'm sorry for my actions. Thank you for stopping me. I only have one last request. Please destroy my exsphere along with the others. And if you can find a way, please destroy the Devil's Arms. They must not be allowed to continue in their cursed existence."

"Presea…I," The shadowy figure shook her head.

"Lloyd, thank you. You freed me from my guilt and anger. If I were still alive, I would owe you my life." Then she turned to look back toward the garden terrace. "And I know this is a selfish request, but if possible, could I be buried next to my sister?" Lloyd nodded, and Presea gave him a small smile. She thanked him once again for freeing her soul from its tormented state and then disappeared.


	8. It's Not Over

After Presea disappeared into the small orb, Lloyd picked it up and brought it into the garden. He placed it on the ground next to her sister's grave. Before he destroyed it, he cut through the bonds holding Colette and Raine. He didn't try to rouse them, not yet. They had been through enough. Lloyd then pulled his sword out of its scabbard and lifted it above the Cruxis Crystal.

"Goodbye…Presea." He brought the sword down, shattering the crystal. He stood up, tears streaming down his face. _I've lost so many friends on this journey. I didn't think it would continue after the journey was done._ He silently went over every memory of Presea he had. From meeting her in Meltokio to defeating Vharley, and even squaring off against the incredibly strong Abyssion. Lloyd cried until he couldn't anymore, and even then, he stared at where he had just destroyed her crystal. He didn't look up until he heard his name.

"Lloyd? Lloyd, it's you!" He was suddenly squeezed from behind and lifted into the air in a great big hug. When the strong arms put him back down he turned and found Colette beaming at him. The Professor was waking up behind her. Lloyd managed a weak smile in answer to Colette's. Raine was looking around skeptically. Then she saw Lloyd and calm came over her face again. Then it moved to sorrow. She came up to Lloyd and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Lloyd." Lloyd nodded. Of course she would know. She would have put it together as soon as she realized she had been freed. Colette looked at Raine and then at Lloyd and then back at Raine.

"What does she mean, Lloyd?" Lloyd was about to answer when he noticed something. The fog was disappearing. As he stared at it, Colette and Raine noticed it as well. Finally the fog was in its last throes and Lloyd realized what would be unveiled as it completely disintegrated. Colette's shriek was all he needed to know she had seen it. Colette rushed past him to the fallen body. Again Raine placed a hand on his shoulder and slowly walked to where Colette was. She motioned for the young woman to rise and when Colette did she wrapped her arms around the youth.

Lloyd could tell Colette was crying, and he wished he could let her, but his mind reminded him that their other friends were still wounded.

"Professor, when I came up here, I saw your staff on the second floor. We need to retrieve it." She understood, as she usually did. She led Colette to the elevator where Lloyd was waiting. When they stood inside of it, Lloyd pressed the button to take them to the second floor. They arrived and Raine quickly gathered her staff and what medical supplies she could find. When she returned to the lift she took stock of what she had found.

"Two Panacea bottles, a lemon gel, and a few bandages. It's not much, but it'll have to do. I hope my healing arts will be enough." Lloyd merely nodded and started the lift up to take them back to the lobby. As the lift stopped, Lloyd suddenly remembered the exspheres in the back of the lift. He looked down at them but quickly decided that they would be safe for the moment. He followed Professor Sage who was still supporting Colette out of the elevator. They moved for the exit to find the others.

Now that the fog had lifted, Lloyd could see he must have wandered around in circles for a long time. Sheena was not far from where he had left Zelos and Genis. Raine moved quickly to Sheena and looked at her wounds. Shaking her head, she turned back to Lloyd.

"Her wounds are pretty bad. She'll live, but she won't be able to move or do anything for a long time." Tears filled his eyes. _I should have been there. I told her I'd always be there for her, and I let her down._ When he opened his eyes Raine was casting an elaborate spell to heal the Summoner. Colette was off administering aid to Genis and Zelos. Tears still spilled from his eyes and as he watched, two tears that had just fallen from his face stopped above the ground. In wonder, he watched as they floated back up and moved toward Sheena. The tears seemed to merge with Raine's healing arts and a bright flash occurred. Lloyd threw up his arm to block the fierce light, but before he had lifted it to his chin the light disappeared.

In it's stead was Sheena. She was still unconscious, but all the wounds she had received in the torture device were gone. Lloyd slowly approached, wanting to believe it but finding it hard to do so. As he knelt, Sheena slowly opened her eyes. Lloyd just stared. Raine stood back in astonishment. Sheena turned her head and her eyes focused on Lloyd. At first, it was in confusion, but her face quickly turned to excitement. She threw her arms around him, knocking him over.

As he lay there, holding tight the woman he loved, he heard Raine exclaim, "I've never seen anything like it. I've heard of such things, but they were always the stuff of fairy tales. I wonder…" But he didn't hear anymore. He just smiled and kissed the woman who had been so key in their journey to reunite the worlds. The joy didn't last long though.

A bolt of pain ripped through Lloyd's back, and he screamed. Sheena quickly pulled herself off him; afraid she'd hurt him. But he continued to scream and he began to twitch. Two dark shapes formed on his chest. Sheena and Raine watched in horror as the shapes rose out of his body and reformed into the cursed double swords Nebilim. They floated above the screaming swordsmen, and suddenly everyone else there began screaming.

Sheena watched through the pain as the remaining Devil's Arms emerged and floated above their previous owners. She could only count seven though. Diablos and Soul Eater were not there. Motion on top of the Lezerano Company drew her eyes, and she saw the cursed axe floating down to join the other weapons. A few moments later, the Soul Eater joined them. The pain disappeared, and everyone stopped screaming, but everyone was left short of breath.

Lloyd and Sheena were the first to pick themselves up. What they saw made them wish they hadn't. Eight of the weapons were circling around the Heart of Chaos staff. The Gates of Hell card exploded, forming a torso. The Evil Eye chakrams created the upper arms, while Fafnir and Soul Eater developed into the forearms. The Diablos and Disaster connected at the end of the arms to make hands. The Apocalypse greaves stretched and mutated into full legs and feet to connect to the torso. Finally, the Nebilim swords melted together, bringing two eyes into view. They fused onto the neck of the torso and Lloyd and Sheena beheld a terrible form. If they weren't shocked enough by this transformation, they recoiled even further when the hideous thing spoke.

"Lloyd Irving…I have heard a lot about you. My minions…bring much information back of your…progress." Lloyd glanced at Sheena and then tried to stand.

"Progress? What do you mean?" He managed to rise to a full standing position, and then helped Sheena up. The thing chuckled. The eyes blinked at different times, making them feel queasy.

"Every demonic creature that you destroyed told me of how strong you had become. Abyssion was the last of them. His death was very instrumental in bringing me back to life."

"What? Back to…life?" Sheena's voice was full of skepticism. The thing continued talking as though she had never spoken.

"Once Abyssion was destroyed, my power was transferred to that little, pathetic girl. There was no way she could hold off my strength. Even with the support of her friends, she couldn't fight me. Not with her attitude anyway."

"What do you mean? What attitude?"

"Didn't she tell you before you killed her? She _wanted_ to be possessed." Lloyd shook his head.

"No…no, there's no way Presea would give up that easily. She fought you!" The creature laughed maniacally.

"You'd like to think so, wouldn't you? You'd like to think she was taken over against her will. But she wasn't." The creature grew somber, and the eyes narrowed at them. "And now, you will all die at the hands of the demon lord." Before Lloyd and Sheena could even prepare themselves, the dark creature had launched itself at them. They watched as death came, and suddenly, time froze again. The creature was inches from them, and they let loose a breath they didn't know they had been holding. Then the creature jerked and they both jumped back.

"Lloyd…Sheena…get out of here. Take everyone. Leave now! I can't hold him back for long. He's strength is too much." Verius stood behind them, and the couple could see the sweat beginning to bead on the Spirit's brow.

"But…Verius, we can't just…"

"I said GO!" Lloyd and Sheena hauled the others to their feet. Quickly they ran to the cart that brought them to the island. Nothing got in their way, and when they started it up it moved much too slowly for any of their comfort. When they were nearly half way back to Altamira, the waves around the car started splashing again, and Sheena fell to the floor as a scream rent the air. Lloyd bent down to wrap his arms around her to find her whispering. _What is she saying?_ He leaned closer to hear her.

"Envoy from the dark abyss, I summon thee, Shadow!" The last she yelled, bringing the dark Summon Spirit into existence. Sheena stood up suddenly, knocking Lloyd over.

"Shadow, get us away from here. Hide us from that thing!" A dark orb appeared before the spirit and the next thing Lloyd knew, he was staring up at the inside of some temple. He sat up to find he was the first one other than Sheena to rouse from unconsciousness. He stood up and went to her.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"In the Martel Temple near Iselia. It was the only holy place strong enough to hold that thing off that Shadow knew." She turned quiet. She turned to the pedestal in the middle of the room. She looked reminiscently at it, and Lloyd noticed she was holding something tightly in one of her hands. He looked closer and found it to be Corrine's bell.

"Sheena…"

"Losing Corrine the first time was hard enough. I had you then to help through it. Without you, I would never have gotten Volt to cooperate." She paused, and Lloyd was about to speak when she continued.

"Now I think I've lost him forever. And the only way I can get through this time is with you there again." She turned to him. "Lloyd, I need your help to defeat this thing. But we can't let anyone else come with us. If we fail, this will be the only place strong enough to protect them." She looked up at him with those brown eyes that he loved, and he knew he couldn't say no to her.

"Alright, what do we do?" She gave him a small smile, but it didn't last long.

"I'm not entirely sure yet. I was hoping to have Verius's guidance on this one, but then I remembered…" She fell silent and Lloyd brought her into his embrace. She cried herself asleep in his arms. Lloyd sighed as he held her while she slept. _I guess we'll be making this up as we go. Like we always did._

Sheena awoke before the others had awoken. Lloyd had checked their pulses, and all of them were alright.

"They must have been exhausted from being prisoners for so long." said Lloyd. Sheena nodded and took his hand. Slowly she led him outside to the stairs that led away from the temple. She sighed.

"Lloyd, I honestly have no idea what we're supposed to do now. I mean, this thing is bigger than anything we've ever faced. Mithos and Abyssion were nothing compared to the pure power of the Demon Lord. What are we going to do?" Lloyd came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"We'll find a way. We always do. C'mon, let's get moving. We have a long walk since we won't be able to fly any more, and I don't feel like taking Shadow's path again." The attempted jest did little if anything to put Sheena at ease. She started walking and Lloyd followed. They stopped in Iselia to pick up supplies. They said goodbye to the people they knew and left the village in the direction of Altamira.

Meanwhile, creatures of demonic descent prepared for an assault on the newly reunited world. When the Demon Lord had restored all of its power it would open a gate through the Book of the Underworld to unleash the horde. The Demon Lord waited patiently. The collected exspheres that had been left behind by the boy would make a wonderful gift to its troops. After he equipped himself first, of course.


End file.
